Drifting Away
by Leese1
Summary: Mac goes UC to uncover a murderer, with disastrous consequences for herself and Peter.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Drifting Away  
  
Author: Lisa  
  
Email: lisacheerio_85@yahoo.com  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own or work with Stingers etc.  
  
Notes: It's short. Very short.  
  
Thanks: Marissa, for the idea. Hope I live up to your expectations.  
  
  
  
HOTEL IN MELBOURNE  
  
Mac leant up against Pete's chest.  
  
"So, we're...uh, together again?" she asked carefully. Pete kissed her forehead.  
  
"Yeah." She looked up at him and they kissed passionately, disappearing under the covers once again.  
  
THE FACTORY  
  
Mac drove in ten minutes before Pete.  
  
"Sorry guys," she said as she grabbed files from her desk and brought them back to the briefing room. "I got caught up in a meeting. Pete walked in then, looking slightly apprehensive, but hiding it well.  
  
"And where have you been?" Danni asked mischievously, already going through several possibilities. Pete shrugged.  
  
"Family thing," he said simply, sitting down. Oscar looked at the others sarcastically.  
  
"Sure. Family thing." He mocked, laughing.  
  
"Okay, listen up. A killer by the name of Robert Davis is suspected of the recent horrific murders of several prostitutes." She threw photographs onto the table, which the others studied carefully.  
  
"We believe he watches local hotels, knowing when and where each prostitute takes her clients. He shoots them in the leg or foot, nowhere fatal, and then he nails them to the wall or the floor in a crucifix formation."  
  
"Jesus Christ! I've read about those," Angie exclaimed. Mac continued.  
  
"Yes, I know. Three women have been killed so far, and another one is expected soon, if he is still following the approximate time intervals. Now, none of the victims worked together, so this is just pick and choose. Any volunteers?" she asked. Danni grimaced.  
  
"What would we do, exactly, Mac?"  
  
"You would theoretically go to a hotel regularly with one of these guys and- "  
  
"-oh Mac, no!" Danni interrupted, laughing. Mac smiled.  
  
"Danni, you wouldn't do that. You would sit and talk or do whatever for the time span, then leave, so that from outside the room, it looks like you're taking a client."  
  
"But how will we know if he's following us?" Oscar asked.  
  
"We won't. We probably won't have any idea. He's crafty and knows his stuff. Unfortunately, we can only do one hotel at a time. Whoever goes under will go to two hotels in the day. One with Pete, the other with Oscar..."  
  
"Mac, I don't much like the idea of being nailed to the floor." Angie stood as she spoke, picking up the files again. "Isn't this a bit of a safety risk, anyway? I mean, you don't even know if he's still around."  
  
"He's around. We've just got to know where. We have a tail on him right at this moment, so that we'll know which hotel to front up to, okay? There's not a great risk, I promise."  
  
Angie shook her head and Danni agreed. "Well," Mac said. "Looks like it's mine."  
  
"What are you going to dress in?" Pete asked. Mac smiled sarcastically.  
  
"What do you think, Pete?" She turned, walking back into her office to make some phone calls.  
  
"Is she pissed off with us?" Angie asked. Pete shook his head. "Narr, far from it. I'd say she's a little nervous." They laughed quietly, not wanting Mac to hear, and proceeded to read through the files.  
  
STAY-A-WHILE HOTEL/MOTEL  
  
Mac sat opposite Oscar. He couldn't wipe the grin off his face. Mac was looking very un-prostitute-like. Sure, she had on an extremely short skirt and revealing top, but she lacked the...tartiness, he thought.  
  
They sat, making small talk, for half an hour. Plenty of time, Mac decided, standing.  
  
"That was great Mac," Oscar joked. "Can't wait 'till next time!" He laughed as he opened the front door and walked to his car. Mac pulled down her skirt as far as it would go (which wasn't very far) and followed.  
  
JOLLY HOLLIES HOTEL  
  
"Pete, stop it! No," Mac laughed as Pete sat beside her on the bed.  
  
"We're not wired," he complained. She giggled.  
  
"Wait until tonight or something, will you? You look so silly with that wig on," she started laughing once again, putting a hand to Pete's newly acquired blonde hair.  
  
Pete and Oscar had decided to disguise themselves slightly, so that any one watching Mac every day wouldn't realise it was the same two men, all the time.  
  
After half an hour of fooling around without getting anywhere, Pete stood and left, just as Oscar had, leaving Mac for a few moments before she left as well.  
  
THE FACTORY  
  
"So how is this going?" Angie asked. "I mean is it going?" Mac raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Yes, the trailer on Davis said he was at the hotel. Trust me, it's going." She walked into her office as Pete followed, closing the door behind him.  
  
"Same time and place tomorrow morning?" He asked. Mac smiled, a real smile, as she nodded. "Sure. Can't wait."  
  
"What about dinner tonight?" Pete asked. "You know you want to." Mac laughed slightly.  
  
"Oh, alright. Dinner. You pick and tell me before you leave. I'll be ten minutes behind you." Pete nodded, returning outside.  
  
After Mac had left that night, Danni turned to Oscar and Angie. "Guys, did you realise that Mac just left ten minutes after Pete?" They nodded. "So?" they asked.  
  
"Well Mac arrived ten minutes before Pete this morning! Don't you see?" Angie and Oscar looked up at her dimly.  
  
"Yeah, it's about time the two of them got some," Oscar mumbled as Angie nodded, returning to her papers. Danni was shocked. "What?...You knew about this?...Are they really sleeping together?" Angie looked at Oscar, not really caring.  
  
"Maybe. They have before until our old boss caught on. Now Mac's the boss. Nothing new. Really, it's been building up for a while." Danni looked around in amazement. "And the two of you don't care?" she asked. Oscar shrugged. "It won't last," he muttered before he started packing things away for the night.  
  
THE NEXT MORNING – HOTEL IN MELBOURNE  
  
Pete stretched beside Mac. They had decided to go to the hotel anyway that morning, for a change of scenery. It really was a nice hotel, not like the ones they had been in before. And the people there didn't seem to mind one bit. Good, thought Pete drowsily, we'll be back.  
  
THE FACTORY  
  
Angie hung up the phone quickly.  
  
"The trailer said the he followed Davis to a motel this morning. He was calling from the road. Had to leave for some emergency at home and they're getting another out there as quickly as possible, but I don't know. It's out of town a little way. Davis was following some couple, he didn't get a look." Oscar nodded. "Mac?"  
  
"I've tried. Her home phone's not answering and her mobile's off."  
  
"Pete?"  
  
"Same. Do you think it's them?" Angie asked, a little worried. Oscar shook his head as he grabbed his jacket.  
  
"No, but we should check it out."  
  
HOTEL IN MELBOURNE  
  
The door flung open as Pete and Mac were cuddling. They scrambled out of bed, hearing the silenced gunshots but not feeling them until they had both fallen onto the floor.  
  
Mac groaned as she looked down at her foot, not taking in the mess that she saw. She couldn't see Pete; he was on the other side of the bed.  
  
A bag was dumped on the floor by her head. Davis knelt down near her, his smelly breath overpowering Mac.  
  
"Now how come you've been in here an hour and a half when yesterday you only gave half hours?" Mac gathered all her strength and lunged at him, but Davis was on top of her in a second, pushing her down again.  
  
Davis turned as Pete managed to climb over the bed, his leg bleeding from the wound. He moved out of the way, letting Pete fall beside Mac. He groaned deeply as his leg rubbed the wooden edge of the bed. Mac was crying as a gun was held to her head. Neither of them had any chance to cover themselves, and Davis looked at Mac with pleasure.  
  
"Either of you do anything and the prostitute gets it."  
  
Pete turned his head, looking at the tears running down Mac's face. He reached out his hand, taking hold of hers. Mac looked over at Pete, mouthing his name as she turned and watched Davis. He was rummaging in his bag with his spare hand, the other still pointing the weapon in Mac's direction. He kept a close eye on his two victims. First time he had done the man as well. Marvellous, he thought, laughing to himself. And these two actually look like they care about each other!  
  
ON THE ROAD  
  
"How much faster can this go?" Danni asked from the backseat as they pulled up at yet another red light. "And what if the two of them turn up while we're gone?"  
  
"I left a note," Angie replied tensely. She had left a note, but her intuition was telling her that it wasn't necessary. Oscar glanced at her, thinking the same thing, and put his foot down on the accelerator.  
  
HOTEL  
  
Mac moved closer to Pete as Davis drew out his favourite tool. The hammer. She buried her head into his shoulder, not looking. Davis smiled.  
  
"I'll do the man first, my love, not to worry." Pete moved to stay out of Davis' grasp, but no sooner had he done that then the gun was held to Mac's forehead.  
  
Mac's eyes begged him to run, to leave anyway, but he couldn't. Not after everything that had happened lately. Tears came to his eyes as he realised that no one knew they were here. And if the trailer were still on Davis, backup would have arrived ages ago.  
  
Davis let the gun relax and Mac crawled across the floor to where Pete was crouched on one leg. She held onto him for dear life, shaking. Pete put an arm around her.  
  
"Why don't you let her go, mate?" he asked. "Take me, not her." Davis smiled congenially.  
  
"I'm taking both of you, so shut up about it." He moved to Pete and Mac. "You two really care about each other? That's so sweet." He laughed as he pulled Mac off Pete. She tried to hang on, but was so scared, that Davis pulled her off as if her fingers were made of butter. He threw her against the wall, where she fell, unconscious. Davis turned his attention back to Pete, who looked ready to fight, but whose eyes told Davis that he knew it was over. I love that look, he thought to himself.  
  
Mac woke to gruelling pain in her feet. She choked on her scream as she realised what was happening. She squeezed her eyes shut, blotting out everything. Pete, she suddenly thought, turning her head to see.  
  
Tears feel down her cheeks in droves as she looked into Pete's eyes. He tried to smile at her, reassure her, but she saw the nails in his feet and in his far hand, the blood gushing out of the wounds. There was nothing, she saw, in the hand nearest her. He reached out painfully, touching the side of her face, trying to wipe the tears. "Just look into my eyes," he mumbled.  
  
Mac held his gaze, writhing in pain as a nail was driven through her hand. She bit her bottom lip, tasting blood. Just as he had with Pete, Davis left her other hand free. Mac wiped her face, the continuous stream of tears obstructing her view of Pete.  
  
Davis left, chuckling to himself. That was all for today, he thought. I wonder about tomorrow, or the day after that? He remembered he needed some more petrol for his car, and wondered where the cheapest service station was.  
  
Mac couldn't move her neck and head any closer to Pete. The pain up her arm was excruciating. She reached out to Pete with her free arm.  
  
Mac could feel herself drifting. The pain wasn't as bad anymore, she was getting used to it. Not a good sign, she realised. She started shaking beyond control as Pete shifted his gaze. He's weak as well, she thought.  
  
This can't be happening. No, not now. No! Mac started crying, trying beyond everything to get closer to Pete. He reached as far as he could go, holding a hand to her cheek. Mac gripped his arm, crying into his hand.  
  
She couldn't hold on any longer.  
  
"I'm so scared," she whispered to Pete, not letting him go. He nodded. "Me too, but everything is going to be alright, okay?" Mac tried to smile, but couldn't; she didn't have the energy.  
  
"Look into my eyes, Ellen," Pete said, struggling. Mac shifted her gaze back to him at the sound of her first name, almost never spoken by Pete before. "We're together, that's what matters." She nodded, her heart aching.  
  
"I love you Mac," Pete whispered.  
  
"I love you too," she choked back as she started sobbing quietly. She felt herself becoming weaker. Still, she didn't shift her gaze from Peter.  
  
They held each other. Pete's hand cradling Mac's face, which was turned to his, and Mac's hand holding onto Pete's arm. "I don't want to die, I'm so scared," she mumbled to Pete over and over amongst tears as Pete soothed her, trying his best to sound brave. "It's okay, Mac, just look at me. Don't think about it. It'll be all right. I love you Mac. I love you and I always will..."  
  
Neither of them heard the car speed up to the hotel and break to a halt. Pete and Mac took one final look into each other's eyes, before closing them one last time, and drifting away, together. 


	2. Drifting Away, 2

Title: Epilogue – Drifting Away  
  
Author: Lisa  
  
Email: lisacheerio_85@yahoo.com  
  
Note: I am not a doctor and have no specific knowledge to the injuries that would be sustained if this occurred in real life...so just use your imaginations.  
  
Thanks: To everyone who kept telling me to write this. Sorry if them dying shocked you...hope this makes up for it. he he he  
  
Previously: The team are investigating a serial killer who follows prostitutes and nails them to the floor in crucifix formation. Mac goes undercover. Meanwhile, she and Pete got back together. The killer surprises the two of them in a hotel and both are nailed to the floor.  
  
To give you some background, I've started on the last page of the previous fic.  
  
  
  
HOTEL  
  
Mac could feel herself drifting. The pain wasn't as bad anymore, she was getting used to it. Not a good sign, she realised. She started shaking beyond control as Pete shifted his gaze. He's weak as well, she thought.  
  
This can't be happening. No, not now. No! Mac started crying, trying beyond everything to get closer to Pete. He reached as far as he could go, holding a hand to her cheek. Mac gripped his arm, crying into his hand.  
  
She couldn't hold on any longer. She needed to close her eyes. "I'm so scared," she whispered to Pete, not letting him go. He nodded. "Me too, but everything is going to be alright, okay?" Mac tried to smile, but couldn't; she didn't have the energy.  
  
"Look into my eyes, Ellen," Pete said, struggling. Mac shifted her gaze back to him at the sound of her first name, almost never spoken by Pete before. "We're together, that's what matters." She nodded, her heart aching.  
  
"I love you Mac," Pete whispered.  
  
"I love you too," she choked back as she started sobbing quietly. She felt herself becoming weaker. Still, she didn't shift her gaze from Peter.  
  
They held each other. Pete's hand cradling Mac's face, which was turned to his, and Mac's hand holding onto Pete's arm. "I don't want to die, I'm so scared," she mumbled to Pete over and over amongst tears as Pete soothed her, trying his best to sound brave. "It's okay, Mac, just look at me. Don't think about it. It'll be all right. I love you Mac. I love you and I always will..."  
  
Neither of them heard the car speed up to the hotel and break to a halt. Pete and Mac took one final look into each other's eyes, before closing them one last time, and drifting away, together.  
  
Angie, Danni and Oscar ran to the hotel room with the door open. The three of them stopped, standing at the sight before them. Their two best friends, naked and nailed to the floor. Angie broke free, running to Mac and checking her pulse. Tears ran down her cheeks as she turned back to them, now checking Pete's.  
  
"They're alive. Get an ambulance." Her voice had lost all tone, feeling. She started crying as Danni went to her. They hugged, stunned, and went to sit by Mac and Pete. Oscar took out his phone hurriedly and dialled emergency.  
  
MANY, MANY, MANY HOURS LATER – THE HOSPITAL  
  
Pain throbbed through her entire body. I'm alive, she said to herself.  
  
Mac couldn't move her feet or left hand. Her right was free, but strong waves of heat rushed through it.  
  
She started to panic, her eyes closed. Where am I? She thought, unable to produce the sound.  
  
Angie opened her eyes as Danni hit her on the shoulder. Oscar had left to get a drink. They watched as Mac started writhing in pain in the bed.  
  
"Shit," Danni whispered. "I'll get a doctor." She ran out of the room, as Angie looked on, helpless to do anything.  
  
In moments, a doctor and two nurses ran in. Danni followed. The doctor started talking to Mac calmly as he checked her stats.  
  
"Ellen...You're in the hospital...Everything's okay..." He looked back, motioning for Angie and Danni to move forward.  
  
Angie sat beside Mac, taking her hand.  
  
"Talk to her. Keep her calm," the doctor whispered to them as he left.  
  
In the bed, Mac had settled to some extent. She still couldn't open her eyes; the pain behind them was too great.  
  
Ang and Danni watched, worried, as Mac's face creased in frustration. "Mac, just relax," Danni said soothingly. "Angie and I are here. You'll be fine." Angie turned to Danni at the sound of her shaky voice. Tears ran down Danni's cheeks as she stood and quickly made her way outside, passing Oscar as he returned.  
  
Oscar looked over at Mac. She was wearing a hospital gown and the sheet was pulled up to her shoulders, so the heavy bandages around her feet were not visible. But he could see her left hand.  
  
The paramedics had not removed the nails from Mac and Pete's hands or feet when they had arrived, simply prying them from the floor. On arrival at the hospital, both had been rushed into emergency surgery to remove the nails before blood poisoning festered. Both of them had been given heavy injections to prevent any form of poisoning, and Oscar hoped against hope that they worked.  
  
Mac's injuries hadn't been as bad as Pete's. Church had been shot in the leg, and the bullet had grazed an artery. The nail in his right hand had been driven through the centre of his index finger's bone, ripping apart muscle and tissue.  
  
Davis had gotten soft, though. He had only driven the nails in Pete's feet through a point close to his little toe; the thinner part of the foot where less damage was incurred.  
  
Pete was still in surgery, the doctor deciding to reconstruct as much as possible now, instead of waiting. Mac had been out of surgery for perhaps half an hour.  
  
Davis had been even softer on her. Maybe, Oscar thought, it was because he realised he wasn't killing a prostitute, but two people who truly cared about each other. He smiled sadly to himself, hoping that nothing would go wrong, that Pete and Mac would get another chance.  
  
Mac would almost certainly regain all use of her hand and most in her feet. Davis had driven the nails in her feet through the webs between her third and fourth toes, only fracturing those two bones and little muscle. However, the bullet wound had required a lot of repair. Reconstructive surgery to restore tissue and muscle to Mac's hand had been successful. Oscar guessed that Davis hadn't taken the time he usually would to nail them down. The nail through Mac's hand had missed every bone, entering the large web between her thumb and index finger.  
  
Angie felt Oscar's hand on the centre of her back, and she leant back into it. "She's waking up," Ang whispered as Stone took a seat next to her. He nodded as Mac turned her head slightly towards them.  
  
Danni re-entered the room quietly, a tissue in her hand. She leant down next to Angie's ear. "The doctor said Pete's out of surgery and is okay for now." Angie nodded as Danni brought another chair around next to the bed.  
  
Mac shifted again, calmly this time though. But as soon as she did, she felt a hand take hers. A friend, she realised in the warm, secure grasp. Who? The same one as before, Mac answered her own question. Angie, it had to be. She held onto the hand as she struggled to open her eyes. The pain was subsiding. They've given me something, Mac said to herself. She was feeling weak, drowsy.  
  
"An...gie..." Mac managed to gasp as she squinted to catch as glimpse of her friend.  
  
Angie sat forward in her chair, putting a hand to Mac's face. She smiled, holding in tears as she replied.  
  
"Yes, it's me, Mac. Danni and Oscar are here as well." Mac opened her eyes, tiny slits revealing two scared, blue eyes. Contrast to that, Mac smiled back, glad to see her three best friends beside her. But the one person she wanted to see the most wasn't there.  
  
"Pete?" Mac asked, choking on tears as she remembered his last words to her, before they had both closed their eyes, losing consciousness. Angie tried to maintain steady eye contact with Mac, but tears began to run as she spoke.  
  
"He just got out of surgery. He's all right as far as we know. We can't see him yet...oh Mac!" She started crying as Oscar put an arm around her. Mac tried to reach out to them, but couldn't.  
  
She was starting to tingle all over. Sleep, she thought. I have to sleep.  
  
Danni noticed Mac had closed her eyes and ushered everyone out. Before she left as well, Danni whispered to Mac. "Glad you're okay, Mac. We'll let you sleep now." Mac nodded drearily, smiling as Danni left her alone in the large, empty hospital room.  
  
Pete's doctor approached the three friends. Two women, one man. They had been sitting with the other police officer that had been injured with his patient, obviously very close friends of both of them. The man stood upon recognising her.  
  
"I'm Doctor Helen Browning," she shook the man's hand as he introduced himself as Oscar Stone.  
  
"How is he?" he asked. Helen smiled professionally.  
  
"Mr Church is in a stable, but critical condition. His ability to walk won't be impaired, but it will take a bit of time, and a lot of support. His hand will take longer. The preliminary reconstructive surgery was completed, although more will be needed in a week or so. At the moment, I'm most concerned with the bullet wound. We told you that it had only grazed the artery, where in fact, when we operated, we discovered that it had grazed one artery, but lodged itself in another, preventing blood flow."  
  
"Oh my God," the taller woman mumbled. "Is he going to recover though?" she asked.  
  
Helen nodded, feeling so sorry for these officers, obviously in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now three of them were left to wonder whether the other two would ever lead normal lives again.  
  
"Mr Church should recover completely. I'm warning you, it will take time. Both he and Miss Mackenzie, I'm told, will almost certainly have recurring problems with these injuries. Pain mostly. Just every now and then. Now, I'm not up to date on Miss Mackenzie's condition, but from what I've seen of Mr Church's, depending on his recovery, returning to the police force would mean low risk duties only, I'm afraid." The three friends nodded as Helen went off to find Jimmy, who had operated on the female officer, Ellen Mackenzie.  
  
THE NEXT DAY  
  
Mac was sitting in her bed, eyes watering constantly. Doctor Herschwin, who had conducted her surgery, hadn't told her much about Pete's situation at all. Mac was so worried. Her feet ached dully, and her hand was painful to move, but Mac's heart ached most of all. And no amount of drugs would stop it. They had said they loved each other, and they had meant it. Mac wanted to see his smile, feel his touch. I want to be near him, she thought as she fought back tears.  
  
She sat up straighter as Danni walked into the room with flowers. They smiled at each other.  
  
"How are you feeling?" she asked. Mac nodded.  
  
"So-so. Are the others with Peter?" This time it was Danni's turn to nod. She took a seat on Mac's bed. Tears came to Mac's eyes as she continued.  
  
"I want to see him, Danni. Can I do that?" Danni looked around the room, unsure.  
  
"I...don't know...do you want me to check?" Mac smiled.  
  
"Please?" she whispered. Danni rose, looking for a doctor.  
  
TWENTY MINUTES LATER  
  
Angie and Oscar turned as Danni pushed Mac in a wheelchair, into Pete's room.  
  
"Look who?" Oscar said, grinning as he stood to make way for Mac. Mac let out a small laugh as she saw Pete. He was awake, propped up in the bed with maybe five pillows.  
  
Tears came to both their eyes once again as they saw each other, alive, for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. Danni pushed Mac right up beside the bed, as close as she could go.  
  
"Pete," Mac said quietly.  
  
"Mac. How are you?" Mac smiled.  
  
"Getting there. You?" She looked up at Pete's silence.  
  
"They're saying I'll live. But...I'm going to have to leave undercover and...learn to write with my left hand. The right one's stuffed. It'll look like a six year olds." Danni spoke up.  
  
"And that's different, how?" The five of them laughed. Pete looked back down at Mac. Thankfully, his left hand was closest to her, and he reached out, taking her hand in his. Tears streamed down her face as she started to cry into his hand once again. Pete held in his own tears, trying to be strong. "I'm sorry," Mac whispered to them all, apologising for her breaking down.  
  
They didn't respond, watching as resolution came over Mac's face. She used her good hand to try to push herself up, but failed, slipping back down into her chair.  
  
Oscar rushed over. "You want to get onto the bed?" he asked quietly as she nodded. Pete watched, smiling as Oscar helped Mac to sit on the bed, facing Peter. She used her good hand to steady herself, and smiled as she looked into Pete's eyes.  
  
He leaned forward as best he could as they hugged tightly. Pete let the tears finally escape from his eyes. He felt Mac relax as she started to sob into his shoulder. Pete held her to him with his left hand, stroking her hair. He started laughing as he looked over at Angie, Oscar and Danni. Mac pulled back, wiping her eyes. "What's so funny?" she asked.  
  
"Two things," Pete said. "One, I just realised how these guys found us." He started laughing again, the pain in his leg seeming less and less. "Umm...you three want an explanation?" he asked as Mac realised where he was going. She blushed, deeply embarrassed. Angie, Danni and Oscar laughed.  
  
"No explanation needed," Oscar said jokingly. "We know what the two of you were doing."  
  
"Yeah," Angie said. "It's okay with us."  
  
"Are you...uh, going to continue doing what you were...doing? I mean do you love each other?" Danni asked, grinning. The three of them looked at Pete and Mac expectantly.  
  
Mac turned back to Pete.  
  
"What was the second thing?" she asked. "That you were laughing about?" Pete thought back.  
  
"Oh, I wasn't laughing about that. I was...just glad that I finally got the chance to see you, hear your voice, that's all." Mac nodded. "Oh," she answered. They looked into each other's eyes. Mac steadied herself on her good arm as she moved closer.  
  
"You need help?" Oscar asked. Mac turned to him, blushing.  
  
"No thanks, I think I can manage this myself." She turned back around as Pete leant forward, his hand moving underneath her hair to the back of her neck. Mac took a deep breath, feeling herself melting into his touch already. She tilted her head as her lips met his. Her good hand went to the back of Pete's shoulders as she held onto him to keep her balance. Their kiss was strong, fervent. As they pulled away, their eyes met. Full of emotions, pain, fear, compassion, love, Pete and Mac smiled gently at each other. They looked back at Angie, Danni and Oscar simultaneously.  
  
"Well that certainly answers my question," Danni exclaimed. She turned to the door, grabbing Angie and Oscar to follow. "You two just continue that. We'll be outside if you need us..." Mac nodded, holding in her smile as they left.  
  
She turned back to Pete as she moved closer still. His hand settled on her back. No words were exchanged between them. Both held in tears as Pete pulled Mac into him, kissing her deeply, never wanting the embrace to end. Mac felt a million emotions rush through her as her lips caressed Pete's strongly, her hand gripping the side of his face.  
  
They pulled away, Mac leaning into Pete's chest. He held her to him, a hand gently stroking her hair as Mac cried into his shoulder.  
  
"Do you think we should go back in?" Angie asked, unsure. She, Danni and Oscar had been outside Pete's room for nearly half an hour. They exchanged glances.  
  
"Yeah," Oscar said. "But only for a second if they want more time. Being in that position together, they'd have a lot to talk about." Danni nodded as they stood and opened the door to the room.  
  
They looked in at Pete and Mac. Both of them had fallen asleep, holding each other. Mac was lying across Pete's chest, her face buried into his neck. Pete's good hand was across her back and shoulders, holding Mac close to him, his face turned towards hers. Mac and Pete slept peacefully, content that they were together again, both having the rest of their lives to spend by the other's side, as one.  
  
Angie, Oscar and Danni stood for some moments, observing their two best friends. None could wipe the smiles off their faces. For now they knew just how much Mac and Pete cared for each other, and there was no way any of them were going to inhibit that.  
  
"Perfect," Danni whispered as they quietly left Pete's room, staying outside until they had woken from their peaceful slumber.  
  
The End 


End file.
